Urinary incontinence (UI) is any involuntary leakage of urine. It can be a common and distressing problem, which may have a profound impact on quality of life. Urinary incontinence almost always results from an underlying treatable medical condition but is under-reported to medical practitioners. Urinary incontinence can range from mild occasional leaking to chronic uncontrolled urination. Incontinence itself is not a disease, but a symptom of an underlying medical condition. If you have a hard time controlling when urine comes out of your body, it’s called urinary incontinence. It means your body has lost some control over your bladder. It can be frustrating.

1. Urine Leakage Products
2. Urine Leakage Men
3. How To Stop Urine Leakage
4. Female Urine Leakage
5. Urine Leakage At Night

Asked

3 Aug 2011 by scootertoot

Updated

23 July 2015

Topics

prostate cancer

Patient has prostate cancer which has spread. Everytime he stands or moves he leaks around the Foley. Has been using depends as well as 2-3 guards. He has to change every few hours because everything is soaked.

How large is the balloon? If you look on the stem it should say a number and Fr (i.e. 16Fr) this is the size of the cath itself. There should be another number for the balloon size 5cc, 10cc or 30cc. If it is not a 30cc balloon, then putting a 30cc balloon in might help. This is the balloon of water that sits in the neck of the bladder that keeps the catheter from sliding out. You can gently pull down on the cath to be sure the balloon is seated in the neck of the bladder-sometimes the balloon can migrate up into the bladder and cause leaking. Also be sure that the cath is patent. If a cath is clogged, the urine will leak around the cath. especially if you are seeing large amounts like this, it can indicate a cath that might be blocked or partially blocked. If it is only partially blocked you may still see urine in the collection bag but since it isnt fully patent some is leaking around the cath. You might speak to the Dr about orders to flush the catheter to clear any matter that could be blocking the cath. If all else fails sometimes just going with a larger cath can help. Go up to the next size in diameter than the one he has in (have to get Drs orders for this, of course) Urine is very excoriating so be sure to be using a good barrier product to keep his skin from breaking down in the meantime.

Thanks for the info. Sorry I didn't mention that the Foley is a 24 and the balloon has 30cc. He fills the leg bag as well as leaking.

A 24 Fr is pretty small in diameter. He probably needs a larger cath. Perhaps a 22 Fr or a 20, maybe even an 18. Most of the ones I've seen in longer term are 18's to 14's w/30cc balloons. Talk to his Dr. If you have trouble getting past the prostate they can try a Coude cath.

Be sure he empties that leg bag hourly. If he produces a lot of urine he may be filling the bag then spilling over, leg bags dont hold much. Also be sure that the balloon is engaged in the neck of the bladder by gently retracting down on the cath until you feel the balloon engage-you wont be able to pull it down any further. I've have seen the balloons migrate up into the bladder instead of being in the neck of the bladder.

DzooBaby
Thanks so much. We will be sure to talk with the doctor.

Cath size 8fr is the smallest, 24fr is largest. If placement is checked, Flushing Cath can assure that it is not clogged. Increasing to the next size, if it 16fr go to a 18fr, w a MD order. Person Might be having bladder spasm or enlarged prostate.

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Urinary incontinence is when the normal process of storing and passing urine is disrupted. This can happen for several reasons.

Certain factors may also increase your chance of developing urinary incontinence.

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Some of the possible causes lead to short-term urinary incontinence, while others may cause a long-term problem. If the cause can be treated, this may cure your incontinence.

Causes of stress incontinence

Urine Leakage Men

Stress incontinence is when the pressure inside your bladder as it fills with urine becomes greater than the strength of your urethra to stay closed. Your urethra is the tube that urine passes through to leave the body.

Any sudden extra pressure on your bladder, such as laughing or sneezing, can cause urine to leak out of your urethra if you have stress incontinence.

Your urethra may not be able to stay closed if the muscles in your pelvis (pelvic floor muscles) are weak or damaged, or if your urethral sphincter – the ring of muscle that keeps the urethra closed – is damaged.

Problems with these muscles may be caused by:

• damage during childbirth – particularly if your baby was born vaginally, rather than by caesarean section
• increased pressure on your tummy – for example, because you are pregnant or obese
• damage to the bladder or nearby area during surgery – such as the removal of the womb (hysterectomy), or removal of the prostate gland
• neurological conditions that affect the brain and spinal cord, such as Parkinson's disease or multiple sclerosis
• certain connective tissue disorders such as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
• certain medicines

Causes of urge incontinence

The urgent and frequent need to pass urine can be caused by a problem with the detrusor muscles in the walls of your bladder.

The detrusor muscles relax to allow the bladder to fill with urine, then contract when you go to the toilet to let the urine out.

Sometimes the detrusor muscles contract too often, creating an urgent need to go to the toilet. This is known as having an overactive bladder.

The reason your detrusor muscles contract too often may not be clear, but possible causes include:

• drinking too much alcohol or caffeine
• not drinking enough fluids – this can cause strong, concentrated urine to collect in your bladder, which can irritate the bladder and cause symptoms of overactivity
• conditions affecting the lower urinary tract (urethra and bladder) – such as urinary tract infections (UTIs) or tumours in the bladder
• neurological conditions
• certain medicines

Causes of overflow incontinence

Overflow incontinence, also called chronic urinary retention, is often caused by a blockage or obstruction affecting your bladder.

Your bladder may fill up as usual, but because of an obstruction, you will not be able to empty it completely, even when you try.

At the same time, pressure from the urine that's left in your bladder builds up behind the obstruction, causing frequent leaks.

Your bladder can be obstructed by:

• an enlarged prostate gland (if you have a penis)

Overflow incontinence may also be caused by your detrusor muscles not fully contracting, which means your bladder does not completely empty when you urinate. As a result, the bladder becomes stretched.

Your detrusor muscles may not fully contract if:

• there's damage to your nerves – for example, as a result of surgery to part of your bowel or a spinal cord injury
• you're taking certain medicines

Causes of total incontinence

Total incontinence is when your bladder cannot store any urine at all. It can mean you either pass large amounts of urine constantly, or you pass urine occasionally with frequent leaking in between.

Total incontinence can be caused by:

• a problem with your bladder from birth
• injury to your spinal cord – this can disrupt the nerve signals between your brain and your bladder
• a bladder fistula – a small, tunnel like hole that can form between the bladder and a nearby area, such as the vagina

Medicines that may cause incontinence

Some medicines can disrupt the normal process of storing and passing urine or increase the amount of urine you produce.

These include:

• angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
• diuretics
• some antidepressants
• sedatives

Stopping these medicines, if advised to do so by a doctor, may help resolve your incontinence.

Risk factors

How To Stop Urine Leakage

In addition to common causes, some things can increase your risk of developing urinary incontinence without directly being the cause of the problem. These are known as risk factors.

Some of the main risk factors for urinary incontinence include:

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• family history – there may be a genetic link to urinary incontinence, so you may be more at risk if other people in your family have the problem
• increasing age – urinary incontinence becomes more common in middle age and is very common in people who are 80 or older
• having lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) – a range of symptoms that affect the bladder and urethra

Urine Leakage At Night

Page last reviewed: 7 November 2019
Next review due: 7 November 2022